ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines -- Local officials and observers here have begun questioning the continued stay of American troops here and are seeking an explanation into why, six years after they arrived, the “visiting troops” appear to be heading for a permanent deployment.

Vice Mayor Mannix Dalipe said the government and the military have to explain why the Americans are still in the city, noting that the Constitution prohibits foreign troops from establishing bases in the country.

However, Dalipe said the contrary appears to be happening and it is now necessary for the government and military "to make open to the public the policy [if there is one, and] why there's a prolonged stay of American forces despite pronouncements that [they are here only] temporarily."

Dalipe said it was seeing five US military ships with several smaller vessels off the shores of Barangay (villages) Recodo and San Ramon that led him to believe the deployment of the foreign troops is not temporary.

The official’s family has a farm in Barangay La Paz, which is near Recodo and San Ramon.

He also noted the frequent trips of "huge US aircraft using the Zamboanga City International Airport," aside from smaller military planes.

"Yet no one is giving us answers," Dalipe said.

Dalipe said residents have also started asking him why the Americans are still in the city.

"But I cannot explain it to them because we are not informed," he said.

Edgar Araojo, a political science professor at the Western Mindanao State University (WMSU) here, said the presence of the US ships and troops here violates the country's sovereignty.

Araojo also said there have been no military exercises that would warrant their presence here.

"Have we already thrown [into] the wastebasket our own sovereignty here?" he asked.

Among the facilities established by US forces here, he said, are the headquarters of the Joint Special Operations Task Force Philippines (JSOTFP) inside Camp Don Basilio Navarro, an air asset facility inside the Zamboanga City International Airport, a docking area at the Majini Pier inside the headquarters of Naval Forces Western Mindanao Command, and a training facility inside Camp Arturo Enrile in Malagutay village.

"They are visitors, but it's been over six years. The temporary stay of US service personnel [has] dragged on and they are also using some of our vital installations. It's already akin to a permanent basing," Araojo said.

Earlier, Herbert Docena of Focus on the Global South said that, since the signing of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) in 1998, "a steady stream of US forces have been arriving in the country for regular and recurring military exercises involving as many as 5,000 US troops, depending on the exercise."

Docena said beginning in early 2002, a US military unit composed of about 100 to 450 troops in rotation has based itself indefinitely in the Southern Philippines, particularly here and in Basilan.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net) tried to get a more detailed statement from the US Embassy in Manila but spokesperson Rebecca Thompson only repeated her usual statement that the "US forces are here at the invitation of the AFP and GRP [government of the Republic of the Philippines]."

Westmincom chief Lieutenant General Nelson Allaga was irked when asked about the continued presence of the American troops.

"Eto na naman tayo. Ano bang personal na galit mo sa Amerikano [Here we go again. What is your personal grudge against the Americans]? At one time, you said that Mayor Celso Lobregat offered Zamboanga as [an] American base, now [you are saying] Zamboanga officials [are] questioning [the American presence]?" he said in a text message.

Rear Admiral Emilio Marayag Jr., commander of Naval Forces in Western Mindanao, initially said there was an ongoing military exercise here by way of explaining the presence of the Americans.

But later, he sent another text message saying: "There is no joint exercise with us right now or in the past month."

While confirming the presence of foreign ships here, Marayag said these belong to Glenn Marines Group of Companies, a US service contractor.

"What they are doing is still covered by the agreement [on deployment of foreign forces]," he said.

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